Polished

Rezensionen / Stimmen

"Sociologist Osborne argues in her eye-opening debut study that programs at selective colleges meant to teach students from working-class backgrounds how to network, dress professionally, and otherwise acquire the social capital required to succeed in an elite environment, rather than helping students adjust to campus life, instead supercharge conflict with their families and friends back home.... It's a searching inquiry into how elite colleges are failing their working-class students." * Publishers Weekly * "Polished provides an essential road map for how colleges can change the lives of first-generation students. Drawing on the compelling narratives of college students who have undergone what she calls a 'polishing' process, Osborne calls on institutions of higher learning to enable and support the extensive and profound identity work experienced by upwardly mobile students. Polished is a must-read for those concerned with social mobility and the emotional, social, and economic well-being of first-generation college students." -- C.J. Pascoe, University of Oregon "Meticulously researched and carefully argued. In Polished, Osborne deftly reveals the emotional and psychic complexity of educational social mobility in America. She also offers clear-eyed and tractable ways for schools and their personnel to assist students in navigating the positive life changes a college education can bring." -- Mitchell Stevens, Stanford University "A nuanced exploration of identity, culture, and the emotional impact of social mobility and college education. Will appeal to fans of Anthony Abraham Jack's The Privileged Poor and readers interested in post-secondary student success strategies."


* Library Journal * "Osborne makes complex sociological concepts accessible and engaging for a broad audience. This book is a powerful resource for understanding the complexities of first-generation students' identities and for better addressing the gap in support across campuses. With its perceptive analysis and practical recommendations, Polished offers invaluable insights for educators, administrators, and students." * Choice * " . . . a must-read for anyone interested in social justice, education, and the complexities of class dynamics in contemporary society. It offers a profound look at the realities of striving for a better life through education and the significant challenges that come with it. Osborne's blend of scholarly research and compelling storytelling creates an enlightening and deeply moving book. It's a valuable addition to the discourse on social mobility and an inspiration for those navigating similar paths." -- Anne M. Hornak * Teachers College Record * "I love this sort of nuanced and challenging work on class and education and social capital, and I think you will too." -- Anne Helen Petersen, author of 'Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation' "Polished: College, Class, and the Burdens of Social Mobility is an important and engaging book . . . . Osborne's thorough and clearly documented research method combined with the compelling personal insights of students sheds important light on the complexities of social mobility experienced across the educational spectrum. Those of us working in higher education must better understand these complexities if we want to help students inside and outside of college." * Journal of First-Generation Student Success * "The student testimonies in Polished resonated a lot with my own experience - of ambivalence, guilt, and overall incredulity at the entitlement of the wealthy." -- Eileen G'Sell * Jacobin * "While the topic of social mobility has been addressed in many other qualitative studies, the comprehensiveness of Osborne's work stands out. From 2016 to 2021, she engaged in 650 hours of participant observation and conducted in-depth, longitudinal interviews with 150 low-income and first-generation students at 18 selective colleges and universities across the United States, focusing on Massachusetts, Illinois, Oregon, and Texas. The wealth of data allows Osborne to chronicle the students' college experiences from high school students deciding which college to attend to graduates deciding what to do next with their lives. There is also variation in the students she interviewed that allows for some interesting comparisons." * American Journal of Sociology * "In Polished: College, Class, and the Burdens of Social Mobility, Melissa Osborne takes us deep into what it means to identify as such. And also what it means to do so in places that invite you in but aren't ready for you. The story is not a simple or easy one to tell. And yet Osborne does so masterfully." * Social Forces *